Want sports betting and casinos in Texas? You’ll be betting against this GOP delegate.
William Shipman is on a crusade at the Texas GOP convention in San Antonio.
At the entrance of the exhibit floor, he’s passing out flyers that say “Stop sports betting in Texas.”
“This is more of my own thing, and sports betting is an important issue,” said Shipman, a delegate and member of the San Antonio Young Republicans. “You see today the fantasy sports people have sponsored this convention. I’m personally against all gambling, including lottery and all that stuff. But it’s really sports betting, which is the the most dangerous.”
Underdog Fantasy, PrizePicks, Dabble and Betr are all sponsoring the convention and have a booth set up.
The Coalition for Fantasy Sports, which represents the four companies legally operating in Texas, is not lobbying at the convection to expand sports betting, but rather to protect legislation allowing fantasy sports contests.
“Unlike sports betting, daily fantasy sports contests are explicitly defined as true games of skill under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006,” said Scott Paradise, a spokesperson for the coalition, in an email to the Star-Telegram on Friday.
“Texas is a critical state for our industry and our member companies, boasting a large number of passionate sports fans and loyal fantasy sports enthusiasts,” the statement read. “We are here to demonstrate our commitment to the Lone Star State and ensure lawmakers have an opportunity to learn more about our industry.”
The coalition says it takes no stance on the legalization of sports betting or gambling.
But Shipman says he’s worried about the pitfalls of sports betting.
“I care about this issue because I care about young people,” Shipman said. “All across the country, the Gambler’s Anonymous meetings used to be filled with people who’d blow their Social Security income every month. Now it’s all people in their 20s, all throughout the country. It’s a real big issue. And it’s coming to Texas,”
Last year, a bill that would have allowed a limited number of destination casinos with hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues made it through the House before it died. Rep. Charlie Geren, a Fort Worth Republican, was the sponsor.
The Texas Senate and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have roadblocked efforts to bring gambling to the state, including a bill to legalize online sports betting.
But many Texans across the political spectrum don’t feel the same way. A poll this spring from the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation found about 56% of likely voters support destination resort casinos while 30% oppose them. A slight majority of Texans who self-identify as “Born-Again” Christians support the casinos.
And 47% of Texans want to see online sports gaming, according to the poll of 1,600 likely voters conducted in early April.
‘Republicans can do better’
Shipman isn’t the only opponent of gaming at the convention. Some delegates have asked for the state GOP to approve keeping gambling out of Texas on it’s legislative priority list.
There was also a luncheon at the convention Friday titled “Don’t gamble on gambling .”
Shipman said he hopes Republicans continue to stand up but isn’t entirely confident because of how lucrative and rapidly growing the industry is growing across the county.
“I chose this issue because this is a very clear example of where Republicans can do better,” Shipman said.
